Read the following invitation letter and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the option that best fits each of the numbered blanks from 1 to 6.

You are cordially invited to celebrate

The Grand Opening of Riverside Art Gallery

        Dear Art Enthusiasts,

        It is with great pleasure that we invite you to (1) ______ in our grand opening celebration on Saturday, November 15th, 2025. This milestone event marks the culmination of two years of planning and preparation.

        Event Details:

        a) Reception begins at 7:00 PM with champagne and hors d’oeuvres

        b) Gallery tour and artist presentations from 8:00 PM to 9:30 PM

        c) Live jazz performance and networking session until midnight

        We will be showcasing (2) ______ of contemporary artworks from both established and emerging artists. Guests may explore the galleries at their leisure (3) ______ participate in guided tours led by our curators.

        The gallery features three levels of (4) ______ exhibition spaces designed by award-winning architects. Complimentary valet parking is available (5) ______ the main entrance on Riverside Drive.

        Please RSVP by November 1st as seating is limited. We look forward to (6) ______ this momentous occasion with you and celebrating the vibrant arts community in our city.

        Dress Code: Smart Casual

(Adapted from cultural event invitations)

Question 1. A. partake                B. contribute                 C. participate                 D. involve

Question 2. A. a collection                 B. a number                 C. an amount         D. a sum

Question 3. A. or                         B. nor                         C. but                         D. so

Question 4. A. stunning modern light-filled                 B. modern stunning light-filled

                 C. light-filled stunning modern                 D. modern light-filled stunning

Question 5. A. near                         B. by                         C. at                         D. beside

Question 6. A. commemorating         B. observing                 C. marking                 D. celebrating

Mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the best arrangement of utterances or sentences to make a cohesive and coherent exchange or text in each of the following questions from 7 to 11.

Question 7. a. Coastal engineering projects included the construction of reinforced seawalls along vulnerable stretches, preventing erosion and safeguarding residential areas.

B. Such interventions underscore the region’s strategic response to escalating climatic threats and demonstrate effective coastal resilience planning.

C. Complementing these structures, extensive mangrove reforestation initiatives were undertaken to create natural barriers against storm surges.

D. In response to intensifying tropical storms, Central Vietnam’s coastal provinces have implemented substantial protective infrastructure over recent years.

e. Community-based monitoring systems were subsequently established, empowering local residents to report environmental changes and coordinate emergency responses.

A.  d-c-a-e-b                        B. d-a-c-e-b                        C. a-d-c-b-e                        D. d-a-e-c-b

Question 8. a. We are pleased to introduce our Helix Series label printers for growing businesses nationwide today.

B. To receive a demo, complete the request form and confirm preferred date and site access.

C. Our engineers will configure drivers, train your team, and deliver samples within two days onsite.

D. Introductory pricing and free installation apply to orders placed before 30 November this calendar year.

e. For details, reply to this email or contact sales@aurorainstruments.com for assistance during business hours.

A.  a-b-c-d-e                        B. a-c-b-d-e                        C. b-a-c-d-e                        D. a-b-d-c-e

Question 9. a. Tourist: Okay, thanks anyway. I’ll check my phone’s map application instead.

B. Tourist: Excuse me, could you tell me how to get to the central train station?

C. Alex: I’m sorry, but I’m not from around here myself. I’m just visiting too.

A.  b-c-a                        B. c-b-a                        C. a-b-c                        D. b-a-c

Question 10. a. Huy: So, both styles have their own benefits depending on one’s lifestyle.

B. Huy: I feel the same, but home allows better work-life balance for many people.

C. Tutor: Working from home is comfortable, but office teamwork keeps me motivated.

D. Huy: Do you prefer working from the office or from home?

e. Tutor: Indeed, the choice often reflects how people value connection versus independence.

A.  d-b-c-a-e                        B. d-c-b-e-a                        C. a-b-d-c-e                        D. a-c-b-d-e

Question 11. a. When schools shifted to online learning, I initially believed I could breeze through courses without much effort.

B. The transition to virtual classes during the pandemic challenged my self-discipline and motivation to study independently.

C. This experience made me appreciate the value of in-person interaction and self-motivation in learning environments.

D. However, I found myself constantly distracted and falling behind in almost every single subject I enrolled in.

e. Consequently, I established a dedicated study space and created a strict daily routine to stay on track.

A.  a-b-d-c-e                        B. b-a-d-e-c                        C. b-d-a-e-c                        D. c-b-a-d-e

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the option that best fits each of the numbered blanks from 12 to 16.

        Urbanization has transformed societies worldwide since the Industrial Revolution began. Cities expanded as factories required laborers, and rural workers sought better wages and opportunities. Early urban centers grew around ports, railways, and industrial zones. (12) ____. Local governments built infrastructure like sewage systems, electricity grids, and public schools to support rising populations. (13) ____, inadequate planning left many neighborhoods vulnerable to flooding, disease, and overcrowding. Across Latin America and Southeast Asia, informal settlements appeared on hillsides and riverbanks. (14) ____. Urban planners struggled to provide clean water, sanitation, and affordable housing fast enough. Existing infrastructure could not keep pace with demand, (15) ____. Despite these challenges, cities remained magnets for migration because they offered education, healthcare, and jobs. Gradually, investments in metro systems, social housing, and parks improved living conditions, (16) ____.

(Adapted from https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/urbanization/)

Question 12. A. These emerging metropolitan centers consequently attracting successive waves of migrants seeking employment and establishing close-knit communities nearby

B.  The resulting infrastructure development provided a blueprint for subsequent urban expansion strategies across industrializing regions

C.  Although initially concentrated in Europe, these phenomenons rapidly spread to other continents undergoing industrial transformation

D.  These population shifts fundamentally altered traditional settlement patterns, creating unprecedented demographic concentrations in industrial zones

Question 13. A. Nevertheless, comprehensive zoning regulations and strict building codes protected most residential districts from environmental hazards

B.  However, inadequate planning left many neighborhoods vulnerable to flooding, disease outbreaks, and severe overcrowding

C.  Consequently, urban authorities implemented rigorous sanitation measures that gradually improved living conditions across affected areas

D.  Moreover, municipal governments prioritized infrastructure investment to prevent the emergence of unsanitary conditions

Question 14. A. Governments struggled to extend electricity networks and road infrastructure rapidly enough, leaving numerous settlements underserved

B.  International investment in manufacturing sectors had created employment opportunities that attracted skilled workers from neighboring regions

C.  Educational institutions established vocational training programs to address the shortage of qualified construction workers

D.  Agricultural productivity has declined in surrounding rural areas as labor forces migrated toward urban employment centers

Question 15. A. a development that marginally affected local transportation while significantly straining emergency response capabilities

B.  a circumstance that caused both transport networks and essential municipal services to become critically overburdened

C.  thereby enabling transport systems to function efficiently despite mounting pressure on public service provision

D.  consequently allowing infrastructure networks to expand proportionally with population growth throughout the region

Question 16. A. thereby enabling residents across different socioeconomic levels to access essential opportunities and public amenities more equitably

B.  although subsequent analyses have revealed that rural development initiatives had generated comparable improvements in living standards

C.  which confirmed that initial investment priorities should emphasize cultural preservation over infrastructure modernization

D.  thereby validating concerns that rapid urbanization would inevitably compromise environmental sustainability and community cohesion

Read the following announcement and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the option that best fits each of the numbered blanks from 17 to 22.

Thăng Long Festival 2025

Celebrating Hanoi’s Thousand-Year Heritage

The capital city will come alive with cultural festivities from November 1st to 16th, 2025. This annual celebration features an impressive (17) ______ of activities spanning traditional performances, street parades, and interactive workshops across iconic venues.

Key Highlights

Hoàn Kiếm Lake will transform into an open-air stage (18) ______ visitors can witness water puppet shows and folk music concerts. Meanwhile, the Temple of Literature will host calligraphy exhibitions and scholarly ceremonies (19) ______ back to ancient traditions. The organizing committee has (20) ______ together over thirty distinct programs designed to immerse participants in Hanoi’s rich historical tapestry.

This festival represents a remarkable opportunity for both locals and tourists to (21) ______ themselves in authentic Vietnamese culture. Attendance is free, though some special workshops may require advance (22) ______.

For the complete schedule, visit https://thanglong-festival.vn/

(Adapted from https://vietnamnet.vn)

Question 17. A. variety                B. collection                C. magnitude                D. selection

Question 18. A. at which                B. in which                C. where                D. when

Question 19. A. dating                B. originated                C. rooted                D. stemmed

Question 20. A. gathering                B. assembled                C. brought                D. compiled

Question 21. A. immerse                B. immersing                C. immersed                D. immersion

Question 22. A. registry                B. registering                C. register                D. registration

Read the passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the best answer to each of the following questions from 23 to 30.

        Job hugging describes employees clinging to their current roles for security in a cooled labor market. The practice has seen an uptick as “low-hire, low-fire” conditions dull the payoff of moving. If quit rates fall while openings stagnate, people stay put; if opportunities rebound, mobility may resume. Many workers now prioritize predictability over stretch roles, especially when salary bumps for switches are scarce. In this climate, staying can be rational – even if engagement lags – because risk looms larger than potential upside.

        Monster’s recent findings sketch the contours: three-quarters intend to remain through 2027, and 48% report staying out of fear or uncertainty. Major reasons include pay (27%) and job security (26%). A majority says the trend intensified this year and will grow in 2026. Older workers are seen as more likely to job hug, and 85% admit they’ve done it at least once. Survey methods were explicit: 1,004 employed U.S. workers were polled on October 9, 2025, and they answered scaled questions on motives and risk.

        Stasis does not equal idleness. Many employees explore options passively while diversifying income. Some pursue “side stacking” – multiple side hustles – or adjacent gigs to buffer volatility, akin to “polyworking.” For many, security serves as an emotional safety net; loyalty now signals survival rather than gratification. Even high performers behave less like complacent insiders and more like cautious stewards: they will move if – and only if – an offer clears a higher bar for stability, compensation, and trajectory.

        For organizations, a workforce that stays for safety rather than engagement can flatten initiative and innovation. Leaders should avoid managing by fear; in a “jobless growth” moment, fear may retain bodies while eroding morale and future agility. If companies invest in development, clarity, and credible mobility, retention becomes chosen – not coerced. Otherwise, once conditions ease, pent-up departures could surge, revealing that apparent loyalty was merely prolonged risk management.

(Adapted from Forbes: “‘Job Hugging’: 75% Of Workers Staying Put Through 2027, Study Shows,” Bryan Robinson, Oct 25, 2025)

Question 23. Which of the following is NOT mentioned in paragraph 2 as a reason workers stay put?
A. job security                                        B. pay and benefits

C.  fear and economic uncertainty                        D. a shorter commute

Question 24. The word uptick in paragraph 1 can be best replaced by ______?

A.  increase                B. setback                        C. plateau                D. distraction

Question 25. The word complacent in paragraph 3 is OPPOSITE in meaning to ______.

A.  indifferent                B. vigilant                        C. contented                D. self-satisfied

Question 26. The word they in paragraph 2 refers to ______.

A.  employers evaluating loyalty                        B. older workers in management

C.  the surveyed employees                                D. job openings nationwide

Question 27. Which of the following best paraphrases the underlined sentence in paragraph 3?

A.  Many workers prioritize security as psychological insurance, with loyalty now indicating risk mitigation over job satisfaction.

B.  People treat stability as emotional protection; loyalty reflects coping with risk, not chasing enjoyment.

C.  Stability functions as emotional reassurance, transforming loyalty from an expression of fulfillment into a defensive posture.

D.  For many, job security provides emotional comfort, making loyalty a symptom of economic anxiety rather than engagement.

Question 28. Which of the following is TRUE according to paragraph 2?

A.  Fewer than one-third expect to stay in their jobs for the next two years.

B.  Most respondents were unemployed and speculating about re-entry conditions.

C.  The survey lacked a defined date and offered only open-ended narrative responses.

D.  A poll on October 9, 2025 surveyed 1,004 employed Americans about retention motives and risk tolerance.

Question 29. Which paragraph mentions that older workers are more likely to job hug?

A.  Paragraph 1        B. Paragraph 2                C. Paragraph 3        D. Paragraph 4

Question 30. Which paragraph mentions employees layering side hustles or similar strategies to diversify income?

A.  Paragraph 1        B. Paragraph 2                C. Paragraph 3        D. Paragraph 4

Read the passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the best answer to each of the following questions from 31 to 40.

        Once a sci-fi curio, automation now permeates daily life – from driverless vehicles to voice assistants and parcel drones – while public coffers quietly thin out. Robot tax is a policy idea meant to recoup revenue as firms substitute human labour with automated systems. It typically envisions two routes: a per-“robot employee” levy mirroring Income Tax, or a higher Corporation Tax rate on enlarged profits generated by automation. [I] The receipts, its advocates argue, could bankroll reskilling and buffer the social dislocation that abrupt technological shifts often intensify.

        Supporters say the measure answers two entwined problems: rising unemployment linked to mechanised efficiency and the erosion of wage-based tax bases that fund social care and education. Bill Gates popularised the notion as a brake to soften automation’s precipitous pace so communities can adapt. He further contends that innovation must not offload costs onto vulnerable groups and that governments should squarely address this issue rather than let markets alone arbitrate the transition. [II] In short, taxation would buy time – and tools – for a fairer adjustment.

        To date, only one country has taken a concrete step. South Korea in 2017 modified its corporate tax rules to dampen incentives for automation rather than impose a per-machine levy. South Korea introduced a form of robot tax in 2017 by trimming corporate tax incentives for automation, not by taxing individual machines. Calls for similar policies arise periodically in Canada, the US, the UK and the EU, yet no jurisdiction has advanced beyond debate, suggesting persistent uncertainty about scope, design, and downstream effects. [III]

        Proponents tout multiple upsides: clawing back forgone Income Tax, curbing profit-shifting by multinationals, slowing job losses, and even underwriting a modest universal basic income. Detractors reply that the tax may be unnecessary, productivity-sapping, and conceptually fuzzy – what exactly counts as a “robot”? An extortionate levy, they warn, could chill innovation and raise prices. [IV] Alternatives on the table include boosting Corporation Tax, increasing Capital Gains Tax, or applying higher VAT to purchases of automation technology, thereby raising revenue without a bespoke “robot” label.

(Adapted from https://taxfix.com/en-uk/blog/what-in-the-world-is-robot-tax/)

Question 31. According to paragraph 1, robot tax proposes either ______?
A. tax each robot like income, or increase corporation tax on profits.
B. tax workers directly, or reduce tariffs on imported industrial machinery.
C. apply payroll levies to managers, or subsidise robotic capital purchases.
D. impose VAT on wages, or abolish corporate income taxation entirely.

Question 32. The word extortionate in paragraph 4 mostly means ______.
A. excessively expensive                                B. marginally fair
C. moderately cheap                                        D. slightly negotiable

Question 33. Which of the following best summarises paragraph 2?
A. It claims automation will soon eliminate all jobs and public services entirely.
B. It argues governments should slow automation’s pace and fund humane adjustment.
C. It predicts charities, not states, must manage technological dislocation and retraining.
D. It explains why consumers, through higher prices, will finance all transition costs.

Question 34. What is the intended use of revenue raised by a robot tax?
A. Retraining programmes and employment support for workers displaced by automation nationwide, and reskilling grants
B. Marketing budgets to promote consumer adoption of new robotic household assistants exclusively
C. Shareholder dividends to offset dilution from capital-intensive automation investments only
D. General defence spending increases, regardless of automation’s labour-market disruptions

Question 35. What key difficulty hampers policy design for a robot tax?
A. Defining what counts as a robot                        B. Tracking every hourly wage payment
C. Determining global oil price trends                D. Forecasting quarterly retail demand

Question 36. The phrase this issue in paragraph 2 refers to ______.
A. job displacement        B. tax havens                        C. UBI                                D. drones

Question 37. Which of the following best paraphrases the underlined sentence in paragraph 3?

South Korea in 2017 modified its corporate tax rules to dampen incentives for automation rather than impose a per-machine levy.
A. Lawmakers introduced payroll surcharges on robotic deployment, calculating obligations proportional to machine-hours, subsequently offering rebates if displaced workers secured equivalent employment.
B. Korea prohibited factory automation technologies, compelling manufacturers to dismantle automated lines and immediately reconstitute human labor forces to reclaim tax deductions.
C. Rather than establishing unit-level fiscal assessments, Korean policymakers diminished preferential deductions subsidizing mechanization, attenuating substitution incentives without machine-specific enumeration systems.
D. Regulatory authorities established import quotas on industrial robots, collecting per-unit customs duties, with revenues earmarked for regional manufacturing subsidies and incentives.

Question 38. Which of the following can be inferred from the passage?
A. If widely adopted, a robot tax could partly offset fiscal losses while policymakers phase in retraining, though precise definitions and design remain politically contested.
B. Because South Korea taxed each robot directly, other countries will copy its levy, proving that machine-level charges are the simplest path to implementation.
C. Universal basic income is already funded by robot taxes in multiple jurisdictions, demonstrating immediate consensus about the policy’s fairness and macroeconomic efficiency.
D. Firms are legally obliged to replace all human workers with robots once profits surpass a threshold, making revenue replacement the sole objective of modern taxation.

Question 39. Where in the passage does the following sentence best fit?

Critics warn that any levy could blur boundaries between ordinary software and autonomous systems, creating compliance confusion for both taxpayers and administrators.
A. [I]                        B. [II]                                C. [III]                                D. [IV]

Question 40. Which of the following best summarises the passage?
A. The text defines robot tax, surveys its rationale and one real-world variant, weighs pros and cons, and sketches standard fiscal alternatives to a bespoke levy.
B. The text offers technical formulas for calculating robot taxes, with detailed schedules for every sector and penalties for firms delaying compliance with automation audits.
C. The text chronicles the complete failure of automation, concluding that innovation generally reduces profits and permanently suppresses living standards across industrial economies.
D. The text argues that only universal basic income can solve automation, dismissing taxation as ineffective and politically impossible in all contemporary democracies.